China's Economic Challenge23:26

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This article is more than 11 years old.Police stand guard as workers gather in a standoff over a wage dispute at the gate of Jianrong Suitcase Factory in Dongguan, China, on Dec. 19, 2008. (AP)

Thirty years ago last month, Deng Xiaoping put China on the path to its own brand of market capitalism. It’s been an explosion ever since. Now, at the dawn of 2009, China’s having trouble: Exports down, factories closing, millions losing jobs.

But more than ever, the world is tied into what China does next. Obama’s big stimulus? Chinese billions would make it happen. And then there’s China’s own stability.

This hour, On Point: China’s next move.

You can join the conversation. Is this just a Chinese hiccup? Will China refuel the U.S. economy? Will U.S. consumers restart the Chinese miracle?Guests:

Joining us from Beijing is Anthony Kuhn, Beijing correspondent for NPR. See an archive of his recent reports from China at NPR.org.

Also from Shanghai is Shen Dingli, professor and executive dean of Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies. He's also a fellow at the Asia Society, a global organization based in New York.